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32
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
i.—Notifiable Diseases.
Under the Compulsory Notification Clauses of the Public Health
( London) Act, 1891, and the Orders and Regulations made thereunder,
6,080 cases of infectious diseases (excluding tuberculosis) were reported,
including encephalitis lethargica acuta 27, malaria 4, acute primary
pneumonia 186, acute influenzal pneumonia 87, cerebro-spinal fever 5,
poliomyelitis acuta 6,* ophthalmia neonatorum 47, measles 3,786, and
German measles 260. These 6,080 cases occurred in 5,292 infected
houses, and, of the 6,080 cases, 1,959, i.e,, 32-2 percent., were removed
to hospital, and 4,121, i.e., 67-8 per cent., remained under treatment in
their homes. If the recently added notifiable diseases be excluded so
as to make the 1924 figures strictly comparable with those for previous
years, the percentage of ordinary infectious diseases cases removed to
hospital during 1924 was 93-06, as compared with 85 0, 82-8, 82-8,
67-9, 54 7, and 31-5 for the six quinquennia 1916-20, 191115, 1906-10,
1901-5, 1896-1900 and 1891-5, respectively,/.#., since the compulsory
notification of infectious diseases came into force under the Public
Health (London) Act, 1891 -a satisfactory record.
Full statistics of all the compulsorily notifiable infectious diseases
are to be found in tabular form.
Smallpox.
No case of smallpox was recorded officially, but many smallpox
"contacts" (with cases outside the Borough) have been reported and
watched during the usual incubation period of the disease (14 days).
Several suspicious cases were reported unofficially but were found not
to be smallpox on inspection.
Measles and German Measles.
These diseases still remain compulsorily notifiable throughout the
Borough under the terms of the Public Health (Measles and German
Measles) Temporary Regulations, 1919, which came into force on
December 31st, 1919, continuing in force in certain Districts (set out in
the Schedule) the provisions of the Public Health (Measles and German
Measles) Regulations, 19 1 5, until (in the case of the Borough of Lambeth)
March 31st, 1920, and since, by further Order of the Ministry of Health.
These temporary Regulations were necessary on account of the issuing
of the Public Health (Measles and German Measles) Regulations, 1915,
Rescission Order, 1919, rescinding the Public Health (Measles and
German Measles; Regulations, 1915, as from December 31st, 1919.
Every case of Measles and German Measles when notified is
officially visited and such precautionary measures are taken in connection
therewith as may be found necessary, including, in the case of
both Measles and German Measles, the systematic exclusion of nonprotected
contact children (i.e., children who have not previously had the
disease) and all contact children under 5 years of age from schools, or, if
desirable, the closing of an individual class or class rooms. There is
no interference with medical treatment by the Council's Officers, but
*Including 1 case of polio-encephalitis acuta.